Carolina Gomez,Fernando Hernandez Mendez Obituary, Death;- The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Friday that an 18-month-old child has passed away after being hospitalized since last month due to a fire that also claimed the lives of four others.
Additionally, the sheriff’s office reported that the state fire marshal has determined the cause of the fire to be electrical. The medical examiner has classified the deaths as accidental, thereby concluding the investigation.
Recommended VideosThe Putnam County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Friday that an 18-month-old child has passed away after being hospitalized since last month due to a fire that also claimed the lives of four others.
Furthermore, the sheriff’s office indicated that the state fire marshal has concluded that the fire was caused by electrical issues. The medical examiner has ruled the deaths as accidental, thus concluding the investigation.
The four other deceased family members have been identified as Carolina Gomez, 27; brothers Fernando Hernandez Mendez, 31, and Enrique Hernandez Mendez, 33; and 4-year-old Angel Enrique Diaz Perez.
Gomez’s 7-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, was hospitalized following the fire that occurred on Maryland Avenue in East Palatka on May 12. According to deputies, Elizabeth was able to escape from the residence and ran to a neighbor’s house, where she alerted them to call 911.
Family members informed officials that the 7-year-old had stayed home from school that day due to a medical appointment scheduled for later that morning. One firefighter from Putnam County also sustained injuries in the fire but is expected to recover, as stated by the Palatka Fire Department.
The Hernandez family, who resided in the home, informed News4JAX that six individuals were present when the fire erupted. The property owner told News4JAX she’s been renting to them for almost 10 years and is now trying to find someone who can help the family as they deal with this tragedy.
For those who would like to donate and help the family with their medical expenses, a GoFundMe can be found here. So far it has raised nearly $18,000.
